Deadline
by Devilcherry
Summary: Raistlin and Caramon make a bet.
1. Chapter 1: The Bet

**Words: **489  
**Summary:** Raistlin and Caramon make a bet.  
**Beta-ed:** My friend Wyrd.  
**A/N:** There's going to be 12 chapters but they aren't going to be very long.

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**Deadline**

**Chapter I: The Bet**

"I could!" Caramon insisted loudly. He and Raistlin were sitting and eating some supper at the Inn, when their almost one sided conversation diverted to books and reading. Raistlin claimed that his brother couldn't read a whole book even if his life depended on it and the stubborn warrior naturally objected.

"I really doubt it. Your span of concentration is as long as me remembering a spell after casting it," Raistlin stated coolly.

Caramon's cheeks reddened with embarrassment and anger. "That's not true!"

The mage looked and his brother, smirking evilly. "Then prove it. Read a whole book..."

"Okay," Caramon agreed right away.

"... In one and a half weeks."

The warrior's eyes bugged out. "One and a half?! You can't be serious!" Caramon exclaimed. His brother couldn't be. Right…?

Raistlin chuckled at his twin's outburst. "Oh, are you saying you can't do it?" he goaded.

"I can and I will, you'll see. I could read whatever book I wanted, be it as long as it can and about any subject," Caramon said, crossing his arms over his chest in a confident manner.

"Well, in that case, I have just the right book for you. I'll give it to you to read but only if you promise you will have it read due Friday, which is one and a half weeks away." Raistlin offered, a devilish gleam in his eyes that made Caramon a bit nervous.

"I promise… But what if, and I mean IF," he pressed the word. "I haven't been able to read it until then?"

The mage smirked widely, clasping his hands under his chin. "You have to be my slave for the time you had to read the book."

"WHAT?!" Caramon yelled, incredulous. "Your slave! Not going to happen."

"That's too bad," the mage said as if disappointed. "For if you'd have succeeded, I would have got to be your slave… Imagine! I would have had to do whatever you told me to. Absurd, so thank you for saving me from that option."

That stopped Caramon. Raistlin. Slave. His Slave. For a whole week and a half! Very appealing thought. Indeed. He chuckled ominously in his mind.

"It's a bet then," he announced.

Raistlin smirked. "Good, I'll go fetch the book." He rose from the table and headed for his room. After a moment he came back and dropped something really heavy in front of his brother, who nearly had an aneurysm.

"What is that monstrosity?!" Caramon demanded.

"That, my dear brother, is the book you are going to be reading for the next week and a half. Over 1000 pages about the phases of Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari. Have fun." Raistlin walked away, laughing.

The warrior stared at the… Thing on the table. He'd never manage, and Raistlin will have a field day… No! He could do this. It can't be hard, you just sit and move your eyes. How difficult could that be?

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**How will Caramon manage from this task? :D  
(There isn't going to be any slash, not this time.) **


	2. Chapter 2: Day 1

**Words: **664

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**Chapter II: Day 1**

The next morning Caramon woke up full of energy and determination. The warrior stretched luxuriously before giving a look at the book on his nightstand. Its black leathery cover looked foreboding and the golden letters presenting the name **The Ever Cycles of the Three Moons** glowed annoyingly. Caramon sighed. He didn't feel so energetic anymore.

_No, no! __I'll have the book read even if it's the last thing I do! I have fought in the war and won battles. A mere book is nothing._ He rose from the bed and headed for the kitchen. He needed some breakfast first. With a full stomach everything always looked brighter.

After eating a hearty meal Caramon went to fetch the book. He decided to go read it under the apple tree outside. He could munch some juicy fruits while reading. Caramon grabbed it and went out.

Sitting under the apple tree he opened the first page of the book and started to go through the chapter. It was an introduction about the Moons and the Gods they represented.

_**Before we go to the actual topic of this book, you should know some basic things about the three Moons Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari, of what they represent and have an impact to.****Solinari is the Silver Moon and the God of Good Magic and the third son of Paladine and Mishakal. He is the founder of the White Robes.****Lunitari is the Red Moon and she is the Goddess of Neutral Magic. She was born from the thoughts of Gilean and she works validly with Solinari. The Red Moon is preferred among wizards for its neutrality and the lack of moral shackles.  
Nuitari is the Black Moon, the son of Takhisis and Sargonnas. He is the God of Black Magic and the founder of the Black Robes. Only his followers are able to see him, The Black Moon.**_

Caramon kept reading. The chapter continued on telling the relations and drama between the gods and goddesses, going way off topic and boring.

_I can't believe Raistlin has read this kind of crap._ His eyes were going squinted and a massive headache was creeping from the back of his head. Caramon finally had enough and he slammed the book shut, throwing it on the ground next to him. He had only managed to read twenty-fife pages of the chapter and he was already exhausted.

_This is awful. I'm never going to succeed. I'm not a bookworm… You and your big mouth_, He chided himself. He stared at the sky, watching as the fluffy clouds sailed slowly across it. Not long had gone by when he was found asleep, the book laying forgotten on the grass.

---

Raistlin had seen his brother going outside with the book. When a good portion of the day had passed he decided to go see how Caramon had progressed, if at all. He walked towards the apple tree the mage was sure his twin had went to. The tree and his brother came into view. Raistlin smirked. What did he see? Caramon fast asleep and the book lying on the ground. Raistlin's chances to win the bet seemed very bright, indeed, if his brother kept this track on.

The mage tapped his twin on his shoulder and with a jerk the warrior woke up.

"Wha-What?" Caramon looked around sleepily but when he noticed his brother's smirking face, he yelped.

"How is your reading?" Raistlin asked, a smug look on his features.

Caramon blushed. "Fine… I have a good start," he quickly took the book and opened it. "I've already read the three first chapters," he lied.

Raistlin quirked an eyebrow, seemingly not fully believing him. "I see. Well, I suggest you keep on reading. The day is almost over. Maybe you'll got it read before next week, even. That is, if you don't fall asleep…" Raistlin purred and left.

Caramon stared after his brother's retrieving back and huffed. "Just you see, Raistlin!" He'll show him.

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**You show him, Caramon! xDD**


	3. Chapter 3: Day 2

**  
Words:** 454

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**Chapter III: Day 2**

"Hurry up, Caramon!" Tika, the said man's dear wife, ushered his husband. "You still haven't fixed the roof, and it's surely going to be raining cats and dogs soon."

Caramon sighed. "Yes, hunny…" He was sweeping the floors of the Inn while the read head was preparing some supper and yelling instructions through the kitchen door. The day had been hectic and tiring. Caramon and Tika had to practically split themselves in two to be able to serve all the customers, and now the whole place was a real mess. Food and other rubbish littered the floor and a few chairs were in need of repair – two burly men had started a little fight, which Caramon naturally had to cease. He had earned a black eye for his effort. One of the other customers had even somehow managed to make a hole on the roof. Tika had been all but pleased and had hauled the man out. It was an amusing sight, really.

Caramon finished his sweeping and went to get his tools. Outside he looked at the horizon. Tika was right: grey, gloomy clouds were coming in their direction, looking really ominous.

The warrior climbed up the ladder onto the roof and set on repairing the hole. It wasn't a difficult task and he was done in twenty minutes, just in time when the first rain droplets started to fall.

"Supper is ready," Tika announced, placing the pot full of steaming soup onto the table. Raistlin was already seated.

Caramon sat beside his wife and started to spoon some soup on his plate. The whole time he felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked at Tika but she was slurping her own portion happily, so the only option was…

Raistlin was staring at him and Caramon was quite sure what he had in mind.

"So, have you gotten any further?" The Mage asked conversationally. He took a slice of bread from the basket and put some butter on it.

Caramon didn't have a clue how he was going to get around from this, so he told the truth.

"I haven't had the time today for obvious reasons. You were present the whole day," he answered.

Raistlin smirked. Oh, how the warrior had started to hate that facial expression.

"Fortunately you still have nine days left, but if you keep this up… Well, you know the result."

"Don't worry, I will have it finished." Caramon said confidently.

Raistlin only nodded an amused air about him.

Tika eyed the two men suspiciously. What were they talking about? What did Caramon have to finish? It must be something very mysterious, and as a curious person she would have to find out what it was.

**

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Here was chapter three, and more to come soon! :D  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Day 3

**Words: **447

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**Chapter IV: Day 3**

It was really unnerving to find Tika tailing every move he made. Every time when Raistlin turned his head away from what he was doing, the read head would be pervading his field of vision, glaring.

The mage tried to ignore his sister-in-law and keep doing whatever he was doing at the moment, but the task turned out to be more difficult then he thought. He couldn't concentrate any, feeling the woman's eyes on him at all times. Finally he had had enough as he went to relieve himself and found Tika still following him, into the BATHROOM!

"What is it that you want, you insufferable woman!" Raistlin hissed, his hourglass eyes gleaming angrily.

Tika huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "What I want is to know what you've done to Caramon."

The wizard lifted an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? I've done nothing," Raistlin told her in an even tone.

The red head narrowed her eyes, not even flinching as Raistlin answered her glare.

"I don't believe you. Caramon has been acting strangely and feeling more… aloof. And that conversation you had yesterday at supper, what did that mean," Tika demanded.

Raistlin felt like laughing. _Oh, that woman and her paranoia…_

"I am surprised your husband haven't told you of our little bet," he drawled.

Tika looked questioningly at the mage. "What… Bet?"

"Oh, just that Caramon has to read a book till Friday next week," Raistlin told her.

"What?" Her expression was one of disbelieve and amusement. "Caramon, reading a book? You must be joking. I've never seen Caramon touching a book, not even with a stick. How did you get him to agree?" Tika asked genuinely curious.

Raistlin smirked. "With a good bait he couldn't resist."

"And what this 'bait' might be?" She inquired, looking suspicious.

"Well, if he fails, he has to be my slave for ten days. Listen trough," Raistlin hastened to say, when Tika was about to cut in. "And if he succeeds, I will be his slave."

"Oh…" She started to smirk deviously and a mischievous glint in her blue* eyes.

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Caramon came to them and looked curiously between his wife and brother.

Tika looked at him and then suddenly burst, laughing from the bottom of her heart. Caramon stared questioningly at her. He turned at Raistlin who just shrugged.

"Yeah… Oh! Raistlin," Caramon exclaimed.

"Yes?"

"Prepare for your doom, I'm already at page eighty-seven!" He smiled triumphantly.

"That's good, so only one-thousand-nine-hundred-and twelve pages to go." It was Raistlin's turn to smile as Caramon's joyous face fell.

Tika laughed even more and Caramon was starting to doubt her mental stability.

**

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*** For the life of me I didn't remember the colour of her eyes, so I decided to make them blue...**


	5. Chapter 5: Day 4

**A/N:** Wah, finally an update! Sorry, I haven't been very productive lately.  
**Words:** 296

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**Chapter V: Day 4**

"Umm, Honey…?" Caramon asked his wife carefully.

"Yes dear?" Tika said a wide smile on her face that was a little bit creepy in Caramon's opinion.

The big man fidgeted. "Is something the matter?"

If possible, Tika's smile widened even more. "Everything's just fine. Don't you worry," she chirped. "Now just lay back and read your book in peace, while I rub your feet, okay." She looked at her husband, an unnerving glint in her blue eyes.

Caramon gulped and hid himself behind the massive book. He would never understand women.

Tika was giggling in her mind. She would make sure Caramon finished the book in the given time. Raistlin will lose and then… Payback time for all his arrogance and snide remarks about her cooking! Tika would make him clean the toilet.

"Ouch! Tika! You're hurting me!" Caramon yelped, halting Tika from her day-dream.

The read-head apologized and resumed massaging her husband's foot. Then an all too familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Ah, finally performing your wifely duties now, Tika," Raistlin smirked when he saw the woman's shoulders shake in anger.

Tika whipped around to face the mage. "Oh, you just wait! Caramon will win this bet and then let's see who's doing the 'wifely duties'!" She said annoyed, not realizing the subtext of her words.

"That sounded quite disturbing…" Raistlin coughed.

The read-head's mouth fell open. "You pervert!" She accused him.

Raistlin made an undefined noise at that. "Me! It was you who said it!"

"Are you accusing me of being a pervert?! How dare you, you freeloader!" Tika snapped, waving an angry finger at the mage's face.

Their bickering continued and Caramon decided to take advantage of his brother and wife's distraction to sneak away, and find a more peaceful place to read.

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**And now only 6 chapters left...**


	6. Chapter 6: Day 5

**Words: **711  
**A/N: **Gawk! Sorry I haven't updated in a long time! I have been really busy and haven't got the time to even think about writing anything. But here's a new chapter! And a bit longer then the rest.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter VI: Day 5**

Caramon furrowed his brows, turning a next page on the book. He tried to stay calm.

A faint rustle. Caramon halted his reading for a while. Noticing no more noises he went back to the text.

A sniff, followed by a loud sneeze. Caramon's temple began to throb, but he tried once more to concentrate.

Whistling… That's IT! Caramon banged the book on the table in front of him and fixed his glare on the culprit. "Tas! Would you mind?"

The kender smiled innocently across from the table.

"I don't mind at all." Tasslehoff said merrily. "So, what you reading there? I didn't know you could read. Is it good? Can I read it? The title sounds boring though…"

"Tas!" The human warrior interrupted. If he hadn't, the kender would have babbled till the end of days.

"Yes?" Tas smiled, but then his eyes widened as if coming to a realization. "Oh, I don't have time to chat, got to be somewhere. Bye!"

Caramon didn't even have time to blink his eyes when he was left to sit alone once more.

**  
Sometime later in the day…**

_  
Where could it be…?_ Caramon thought heatedly. _I'm sure I left it right here._

The book was missing, and the warrior could have sworn he left it on the table, where he had been reading it earlier.

Now he was on all fours on the floor, checking if the book had somehow fallen down.

"What you doing?"

Caramon jumped and hit his head on a table he was crawling under. He rose, massaging the back of his head, and turned around.

"Tas?"

The mischievous kender was standing there, hands clasped behind his back.

"Why were you under the table? Something interesting there?" The kender asked curiously.

"No, I was just looking for… my… book…" _Wait a minute! Of course! Tas, you kleptomaniac!_

"Okay, where is it?" Caramon demanded.

Tasslehoff looked at him, a puzzled expression on his still smiling face. "What is?"

Caramon refrained himself from throttling the kender. "The book. I left it here, on the table, and I'm pretty sure your feeble fingers just happened to grab onto it."

The kender snapped his fingers. "Oh, **that **book!" Tas took the book from his bag – which Caramon noted was one of **his** – and offered it back to the burly man. "I just kept it save. You never know what sort of people go around."

Caramon took the book. "Indeed."

"But got to go! See you later!" Again Tasslehoff skipped off to somewhere.

If Caramon didn't know better he would have thought something fishy was going on.

**  
In the evening…**

"Tasslehoff, could you please stop that!" Caramon begged as the said kender was tapping the warrior on his shoulder. Had been the past fifteen minutes.

Tas stopped but resumed his tapping as soon when Caramon started to read. It was very difficult to read and ignore the kender at the same time.

"Why are you doing that anyway? Do you want something?" Caramon put the book down to glare at the kender.

Tas just smiled. "Just a little experiment." Was the simple answer.

"About what?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet, just that this is an experiment." Tasslehoff quickened his tapping.

"How about an experiment 'How Long Can I Tap Caramon Before He Throws Me Down the Terrace'?" The warrior said, his patience diminishing.

"That sounds interesting. Let's try that!" Tasslehoff managed to do only one tap before Caramon made a move to grab him. The kender was quicker though and escaped his clutches, running up the stairs to the guest rooms.

Caramon just hoped he would be left alone, so he could read the book. He was already behind schedule thanks to Tas. Just when he was going to continue reading again a thought came to his mind. _What was Tasslehoff doing there anyway?_

**  
In Raistlin's room…**

"Did you do what I asked?"

Tasslehoff nodded. "Yes. So, where is it?"

The mage threw the kender a little pouch. Tasslehoff opened it, eyes gleaming with excitement, and dropped the object from inside it to his hand. It was a simply made necklace.

"So, this will make me invisible?"

Raistlin nodded. "You only have to put it on."

"Thanks Raistlin!" Tasslehoff quickly put the necklace in one of his pouches and left the room.

The mage smirked. His brother was so going to lose…

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**Yey! Enter Tasslehoff! Poor Caramon... Tas will appear again later...**


	7. Chapter 7: Day 6

**Words:** 733

**The inn is haunted... Or is it.**

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**Chapter VII: Day 6**

Caramon sighed contentedly. Finally he had some peace and quite so he could concentrate reading 'the' book. The book he hated with a passion now. The warrior has just opened on the chapter he had last gotten to when a very loud scream shook the whole inn, and his eardrums.

"What the Hell was that? It sounded like Tika... Tika!" Caramon bolted up from his chair and threw the book on some table near by, and then run where the scream had come from; the kitchen.

"Tika, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Caramon embraced his wife as soon he came to the kitchen and found her frozen in place, holding a rolling pin.

"Caramon..." Tika whispered. "I think we are being haunted..."

Caramon blinked at the red-hair's claim, and then chuckled. "Like by a ghost? But there are no ghosts here..."

"Then how do you explain THAT!" Tika exclaimed and pointed her finger at the space behind the burly man.

He turned. What he saw made jump backwards in surprise. A plate of food was floating in thin air!

"Do something!" Tika yelled. "It's stealing our food!"

Caramon looked at his wife incredulous but then he pulled himself together and started to approach the... floating food-plate.

"Okay ghost, put that plate down slowly and then you could... Maybe go away?" Caramon said nervously. Ghosts weren't his most favourite things in the world... He didn't like opponents he couldn't see and that made him anxious.

The ghost didn't react, but a faint giggle could be heard. A small piece of apple rose from the plate and disappeared, as if being eaten.

"That's it! Caramon step aside. I'm going to show this ghost some manners..." Tika steamed and drew pass the warrior.

"Okay you little thief! Put that plate away or get a taste of this!" She waved the rolling pin threateningly in the air.

"Umm, honey... I don't think a rolling pin is going to be any use against a ghost..." Caramon tried but was ignored.

Suddenly the plate went running, er... Floating away quickly.

"Get back here!" Tika yelled and went after it, Caramon on her tail.

The plate went to the public side of the inn – it was thankfully empty for the inn was closed for the time – and started at the door. Tika, though, was quicker and hauled the rolling pin straight at the culprit. It made a hit at something. The plate clattered on the floor, shattering. Second later a thud was heard as something softer fell.

Tika blinked, and so did Caramon. They went to the spot and Caramon stepped onto something. He looked down and didn't see anything but as he nudged his foot it felt like someone was lying on the floor.

Suddenly the spot started to glow before a figure materialized.

Tika gasped. "Tas...?" She kneeled beside the kender and rolled him on his back. A large bump was forming on the side of his head.

"What's that around his neck?" Caramon pointed.

"It's a necklace. It's broken now, though. He must have 'borrowed' it somewhere." Tika said. "Lets get him to bed and treated."

Caramon took the kender into his arms and went upstairs. Tika went to get some medicine from the kitchen.

He laid Tas on the bed in one of the guest rooms. Tika came soon after and started to apply a awful smelling cream on the bump Tas now had decorating his head.

"That should help with the swelling and pain when he wakes up," she said. "Wonder how he could turn invisible. I didn't know he could use magic."

"Me neither. Maybe he had something that could make it able for him to do that."

Tika observed the kender and again looked at the necklace. It was ordinary looking, and the blue small gem decorating it was cracked.

"We'll interrogate him when he wakes up, and I have to go finish up making dinner..." Tika suddenly sprang out the door, screaming: "The roast is still in the oven!!"

Caramon decided to stay and look after the kender. He didn't trust to leave the kender on his own when he woke up. He could venture of and start another episode of trouble.

Again another day of reading disrupted...

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**Poor Tas... Serves you right. xD **  
**In the next chapter Raistlin does something fishy... **


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